Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs (2) returns a punt during football training camp at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Aug. 1, 2025. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes Announce 2025 Team Captains

Originally posted on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI
By Nathan Beighle | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 3:29 PM ET

The Ohio State Buckeyes are primed to be one of the best teams in college football yet again this season. In the Coaches Poll, they rank second, and they come in third in the AP Poll. With both polls having the Texas Longhorns as the top team in the country, the Buckeyes have been announced as opening-game favorites against the Steve Sarkisian-led side.

With elite players on both sides of the ball, this team should have it all, although some notable questions will loom for the next few weeks. The two main ones are centered around the starting quarterback and the coordinators. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes have an elite crew of experienced leaders on their roster, and they recently announced their captains for the 2025 season.

The 2024 captains, for those that don't remember, were Emeka Egbuka (wide receiver), TreVeyon Henderson (running back), Jack Sawyer (defensive end) and Cody Simon (linebacker). This season, there's a new group leading the way.

Here's how Ohio State announced it on X.

‼️

@sonnystyles_
@caleb_downs2
@SiereveldAustin
@Brandon1inniss pic.twitter.com/zkW068WQQX
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 16, 2025

Who are the Buckeyes captain?

Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Austin Siereveld and Brandon Inniss are the four captains for the 2025 season.

Downs is the most popular, often ranked as one of the best prospects in the college football landscape. He's expected to lead the secondary and will be one of the most disruptive players in the sport.

As for Styles, he'll anchor the middle of the defense. He ended last season with 100 combined tackles (11 of which went for a loss) and 6 sacks. He also had five passes defended. Styles is the real deal and is primed for another breakout season.

As for the two on the offensive side of the ball, Siereveld, who is from Middletown, OH, and played his high school ball at Lakota East near Cincinnati, was a three-star commit in the Class of 2023 but has continued to be an impact player for the Buckeyes.

Finally, Inniss won't be the most impactful weapon for Julian Sayin or Lincoln Kienholz, but he is certainly a leader in the locker room. Having been on a loaded Buckeyes roster over the last few seasons, Inniss ended the 2024 year with 176 receiving yards and one touchdown.

With players like Smith and Downs on the roster and a quality leader in Ryan Day, the sky is the limit, and this team has a solid opportunity to repeat as national champions in 2025.

This article first appeared on Ohio State Buckeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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